Thursday, December 17, 2015

Our final class of 2015 is this Sunday, December 20th.This Sunday also begins the last week of Advent. I hope that this season of preparation has helped you to "Ready the Way" for Christ into your heart.

One of my favorite lines from one of my favorite Christmas carols reminds us of what all of this preparation is about:

Peace on Earth will come to all

If we just follow the Light

Let's give thanks to the Lord above

'Cause Santa Claus comes tonight!

Here Comes Santa Claus (the Elvis Presley version, of course...)

Lord, we, your people who sometimes dwell in darkness need your great light to show us the way to hope, peace, joy and love. Jesus, Emmanuel, who brings us goodness and light, we invite you to come into our hearts and our homes this Christmas. Amen.

As we head into the new year, we have many exciting things to look forward to in our program. We will be sharing some of those ideas here as well as photos from past events, so be sure to check back often.

Wednesday, November 25, 2015

We would like to wish you and your family a very blessed and happy Thanksgiving. As you prepare to share a meal with your family and friends, let us be thankful for all of the blessings God has given us.

THANKSGIVING TABLE PRAYER

O Gracious God, we give you thanks for your overflowing generosity to us. Thank you for the blessings of the food we eat and especially for this feast today. Thank you for our home and family and friends, especially for the presence of those gathered here. Thank you for our health, our work and our play. Please send help to those who are hungry, alone, sick and suffering war and violence. Open our hearts to your love. We ask your blessing through Christ your son. Amen.

Tuesday, November 17, 2015

On Sunday, November 22, 2015, we will be doing something a little different for the 7th Grade students. Instead of attending class on Sunday (11/22) from 9-10:15am or Tuesday (11/24) from 3:45-5:00pm, all 7th Graders will meet on Sunday Night from 5-7:30pm in Walsh Hall.

This youth night will give them an opportunity to engage in their faith in a different way and will allow them to begin learning how to live out their faith. It will be led by our Peer Leadership Team, a team of high school students who give of their time to share their faith with others. The theme for the night will be: Superheroes, Saints, and Virtues

We ask that each student be in attendance for this night. Your child does not need their book for this night and we ask that before coming, please be sure that your child eats dinner, as we will only be having snacks during the youth faith night.

Thursday, November 12, 2015

On Sunday, November 15, join us in Monsignor Walsh Hall after the 10:30 Mass, where we will share a light breakfast as the children create Mason Jar Turkeys (to take home) and Placemats for our guests at the Thanksgiving Banquet.

Thursday, September 24, 2015

All of us at St. Mary's Church have been watching very closely to the coverage of Pope Francis's visit to the United States. I hope that you have been following along with the Pope's Apostolic Journey as it has been a joyous and inspiring visit.

Unfortunately with so much going on in our town this weekend, we had to cancel our Family Gathering Event that was scheduled for Saturday Evening.

We will still be celebrating this historic visit at all of our Masses this weekend and in a special way at the 10:30am Mass.

All children attending the 10:30am Mass will receive a band with a special message from Pope Francis that reads "Christ is Knocking at the Door of Your Heart". These inspiring words are a reminder to all of us that Jesus wants to enter deeply into our lives. Jesus wants to share in our joys and in our hurts and give us the strength to love and have hope.

Some of the staff of St. Mary's Parish with the Holy Father #stmarysnutley

After our Religious Education classes and following the 10:30am Mass, our Pope Francis cardboard cutout will be outside the church for anyone who wishes to take a picture with the Pope. If you post it to any social media, please use the hashtag #stmarysnutley so that we can see all the great photos.

Below are some great resources that you can help you and your family learn more about Pope Francis, including an awesome comic book featuring the Holy Father. Just click on the links below to learn more.

Wednesday, September 16, 2015

Hello, my name is Kristen Gawlik and I am the new Ministry Assistant here at St. Mary’s. I will be helping out in the various ministries throughout the parish, including Religious Education, RCIA, Youth Ministry, and the Children’s Liturgy of the Word.

I’m from Closter, New Jersey and attended St. Joseph’s Grammar School in Oradell, where I also attended the high school youth group. After graduating from the Academy of the Holy Angels, I attended Franciscan University of Steubenville, where I studied Theology and Catechetics for two years (and had a lot of fun playing intramural flag football on the side).

I have been studying to be a Salesian Sister of Saint John Bosco since August 2012 and hope to one day dedicate my entire life to serving Jesus and His Church, especially the young people.

I'm a huge Yankee fan, I love music and have a particular love for playing the guitar and learning new instruments. I am very excited to be here, and I look forward to meeting you all!

Saturday, September 12, 2015

Today (and Tuesday) begins our Religious Education classes for the 2015-16 school year. This is the beginning of a new year of growing in knowledge of the Catholic faith. However, our faith isn't just about memorizing facts and knowing about Jesus; it is about knowing who Jesus is and building a relationship with Him. Our goal is to help every student and their family to get to know Jesus, experience the love that He has to offer each of us and provide ways for everyone to share that love with others. The knowledge that each child gains from learning about our Catholic faith helps them to better be able to share God's love with everyone they meet.

This faith formation takes place not just in the classroom, but also in the Church during Mass, where we are able to encounter Jesus in the Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Eucharist. When we learn about Jesus and then are nourished by His Body and Blood, we have all we need to share His love with others.

Let this "new beginning" be an opportunity for you and your family to make Christ the center of your family. We are excited to be with you as we pray together, learn together, and celebrate God's love together as a parish family.

Catechetical
Sunday

We will be celebrating Catechetical
Sunday on Sunday, September 20 during the 10:30am Mass in the Church. We invite
all students, parents, and catechists to attend this Mass to pray for the
upcoming school year and for our dedicated catechists and volunteers.

First Day of Class

The first day of classes can be
a little hectic, so to help minimize any confusion, we ask that you try to have
your children at the school building by 8:40am on Sunday and 3:30pm on Tuesday.
Upon arrival you will see tables set-up where you can check in and find your child’s
class and room number.

Invitation to Parents

On the first day of classes, we
extend a warm welcome and strongly encourage a parent to stay for the beginning
of class. This will give you an opportunity to meet your child’s catechist and
share any information with them about how to better serve your child.

After your child is settled into their class, we invite you
to stay for some light refreshments and to mingle with the other parents and
our parish priests.We will then gather
with your children and catechists for an opening prayer service. If you are unable to stay for
the entire first class, please come back and join us for the opening prayer
service and kick-off: Sunday, September 13 at 9:40am
in Walsh Hall or Tuesday, September 15 at 4:30pm in the Church. Together, we
will kick off the year in a positive way and ask for the Holy Spirit’s help and
guidance during this school year.
Classes will then be dismissed at their normal times.

Save the Date!!!

Saturday, September 26 at 7pm

This September, the Holy Father, Pope Francis will be visiting the United States for the World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia. In celebration of his Papal visit, we will be having our own Gathering of Families for our Religious Ed families in Walsh Hall. We will have food, crafts and activities for adults and children. We will also stream the Holy Father's prayer vigil so that we can all witness this historic event.

Tuesday, September 1, 2015

Bless what we are about to begin, O God. Open our eyes to discover.
Open our ears to listen.
Open our hearts to care.
Guide us to make our best efforts. Encourage us.Bless all who will help us.
Bless those who will teach us.
Bless those who will serve us.
Bless those who will guide us.
Bless those who will encourage us.
Bless especially our parents, grandparents, families, and friends. Amen.

Welcome to a new year of Religious Education! I hope that
you have had a restful and relaxing summer. We are very excited to begin this
year and are looking forward to growing in faith and knowledge together.

As parents, you are called to be the first catechists of
your child. Religious Education is the continuation of what he/she has already
learned from you and your family. Our priests, staff, catechists, and
volunteers are here to support you and to help further develop the faith of
your child. We ask you to please let us know how we can better serve you and
your family and we in turn ask that you reinforce the lessons learned in class.
This can easily be done over breakfast after class or Mass on Sundays or during
dinnertime after class on Tuesday. You and your child may also find it helpful
to review the previous lessons together. However, the best way to help them
truly learn about how to live their faith is by modeling it for them. Going to
Mass as a family, living out the commandments, and sharing your time, talent,
and treasure allows not only your faith to grow, but allows your children to
see what it means to be a true disciple of Christ.

We pray that this year will be enriching for both your child
and your entire family.

We look forward to working with
you and your children this term.

God bless you and your family!

Opening
Day of Class

Sunday,
September 13 from 9-10:15am

Tuesday,
September 15 from 3:45-5pm

First Day of Class

The first day of classes can be
a little hectic, so to help minimize any confusion, we ask that you try to have
your children at the school building by 8:40am on Sunday and 3:30pm on Tuesday.
Upon arrival you will see tables set-up where you can check in and find your child’s
class and room number.

Invitation to Parents

On the first day of classes, we
extend a warm welcome and strongly encourage a parent to stay for the beginning
of class. This will give you an opportunity to meet your child’s catechist and
share any information with them about how to better serve your child.

After your child is settled into their class, we invite you
to stay for some light refreshments and to mingle with the other parents and
our parish priests.We will then gather
with your children and catechists for an opening prayer service. If you are unable to stay for
the entire first class, please come back and join us for the opening prayer
service and kick-off:

Sunday, September 13 at 9:40am
in Walsh Hall or Tuesday, September 15 at 4:30pm in the Church. Together, we
will kick off the year in a positive way and ask for the Holy Spirit’s help and
guidance during this school year.
Classes will then be dismissed at their normal times.